The Dragon's Keep
by little-miss-hug-and-kiss
Summary: AU/AR Natsu Dragneel is a dragon with the sacred job of protecting Princess Lucy from harm until the right suitor comes along to defeat him and claim her hand in marriage... too bad he's already fallen for her. And who says a princess needs a protector? Lucy's willing to fight for the right to stay with the dragon that she loves.
1. Chapter One Seven Years Ago

_*_ For the record, I don't own Fairy Tail at all, but I do really enjoy it. Its real owner, Hiro Mashima completes my life though.*

 _Seven Years Ago…_

" _Are you sure that she will be safe here, Igneel?" a cloaked figure asked his companion. In his arms was a sleeping girl, probably no older than nine years of age with bright blond hair. They traveled along an unmarked road in the dead of night, not even daring to risk lighting a torch for fear of discovery._

 _The ancient wrinkled wizard turned to the figure with a gleam of seriousness in his eyes. "There is no safer place under the stars for her. I raised this dragon myself. He isn't my blood, but I consider him as my own son. He is fierce, loyal, and powerful. Though he is young, it makes him perfect for the job. I promise if you put Layla's daughter there, he will grow up knowing nothing but his job to protect her until the right person comes along to rule the kingdom with her."_

" _He will have to be strong. Only the best may claim the prize of being by her side," the figure said fondly as the two men arrived at their destination. In front of them was a moat a quarter mile wide filled with bubbling, hissing lava the gently glowed and radiated its immense heat in the men's faces, gleaming off the cloaked figure's dark brown eyes._

 _With a wave of his hand, Igneel caused a stone bridge to rise from the molten rock that was just wide enough for them to pass over comfortably. As they did, the girl continued to sleep peacefully in the cloaked figure's arms, though her small fingers clenched even more tightly over the golden key on a thin necklace chain in her hands. As the reached the other side, the stone bridge collapsed and plunged back into the hissing pit of lava, spitting up scalding drops of the molten stuff as it did._

 _Before the men were the intimidating gates of a dark castle, the stone it was cast in was black, gleaming obsidian so polished it could reflect the stars shining on it from above. It was small compared to the grand royal palace of Heartfilia, but it still loomed over the men in a way that couldn't help but strike awe in the cloaked figure's heart. Relief washed over him as he realized that his chief wizard Igneel had delivered for him as he always did._

 _The wizard muttered a spell that caused the dark gates to open and revealed a small figure standing in the courtyard. He had tousled pink hair that caught some of the meager light still being provided by the lava moat. His mouth had been in a grim line, but as soon as he saw his foster father, the boy broke out in a familiar smile complete with two sharp canine teeth. At twelve-years-old, he wasn't the largest or certainly the most intimidating. The cloaked figure felt doubt once more as the three converged._

" _Igneel! I was beginning to think you weren't coming!"_

 _The chief wizard looked at his son sternly. "Of course we were still coming! We had to be careful is all. And where are your manners, anyway?"_

 _The boy looked up in surprise, turning to the cloaked figure. Seeming to remember himself, he bowed deep. "My apologies, your Majesty."_

 _The cloaked figure sighed, drawing back his hood to reveal his war-haggard face and the top of his battle-weathered armor. His beard was unkempt and tangled as was his hair, but sitting atop his head was a dully gleaming circlet. King Jude of Heartfilia never thought this day would come. "So you are Natsu Dragneel, Protector of Fairy Tail Keep?"_

 _The boy nodded, his eyes gleaming. They were so dark a grey, they could be mistaken for being the same shade as the obsidian of the castle. "At your service, your Majesty."_

" _No," Jude said sternly. "You are at hers."_

 _At his words, Natsu's gaze shifted down to the girl still asleep in his arms. Her white dress had road dirt on it as well as some soot from the surroundings, but her face was clean and peacefully smooth as she slept. Her long dark eyelashes fluttered a little, and the warmth from the lava brought two rosy circles to her cheeks. Natsu didn't know much about girls, but this one seemed special… even outside of the fact that she was a princess. He looked back at his king, nodding once curtly and holding out his hands._

 _Though he knew the moment was coming from the moment that he left the battlefield to deliver his daughter to safety outside of the warzone to really leave her, the king wasn't prepared for the stab of pain to his heart as he looked down on her. It was what he had to do though. It was for his country, for Layla, and for her. So he gently placed his little girl in the boy's arms. The king was afraid for a moment that Natsu would drop her, but the boy was deceptively strong, placing one arm under her knees and the other wrapped protectively around her back so that her head rested gently in the crook of his neck._

 _King Jude brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen in her face before kissing her forehead gently. "I must go to rebuild the kingdom that those rebels stole from me. Though it won't bring back Layla…" he paused, tears forming in his eyes. "I must get back the kingdom for my daughter… my little princess… Lucy."_

 _Igneel stepped forward. "I have arranged everything inside. No other soul save you two will ever inhabit this castle. Most of the objects inside are servants of the Palace in Heartfilia who have willingly become servants in this place in magical form so that they don't require sleep or food. They are here to serve both you and the princess. You are to protect the princess with everything that you have because only the one who could defeat you in battle will be worthy of the princess' hand. It is he who will come to join the king in fighting the rebels or, if the king has already succeeded, be strong enough to lead by the princess' side as her husband."_

 _Natsu nodded again, his strong jaw clenching a little as he looked at his foster father. "Does this mean I'll never see you again?"_

 _The old man looked at him with a small smile and sad eyes. "Perhaps not in this lifetime… but you are truly my son, a dragon. You are built so strong and enduring that many will fear you and most could not dream of fighting you… that is what the princess is counting on. You must be her protector. My destiny and yours may not intertwine anymore, but yours and Lucy's are bound as surely as the stars are to the heavens."_

 _With that, King Jude of Heartfilia drew his hood onto his head again, and he and Igneel retreated out of the gates, reforming the stone bridge and crossing it. Natsu watched them as the faded into the night until even his sharp dragon vision couldn't detect them anymore._

 _A sparkling blue light hovered around Natsu's ear. "Jeez, she looks pretty heavy."_

 _Natsu narrowed his eyes, turning his head. "Tch, Happy. You can't say that about princesses… even if it is true."_

 _The blue light giggled. "She looks funny."_

" _You think all humans look funny."_

" _Well don't you?"_

 _Natsu looked down at the girl again. Lucy was her name, but he would only ever call her Princess or Your Highness. There was something about her that he couldn't shake… and something about her that Igneel had said that stuck with him. Their destinies were entwined now. In the future, men would come to prove their worth and fight him for her hand. His hands tightened instinctively around her. He wouldn't let that happen. Only the most worthy of men would ever best him and get to her, and he would never make it easy. She was his princess… she needed to be protected. And a dragon always protected what was in his Keep._

" _Don't you?" Happy asked again._

" _Come on, little buddy," Natsu said, jerking his head towards the castle and then walking up the steps. "We need to get the princess to her chambers and then get to sleep. I have a feeling that she'll have questions when she wakes."_


	2. Chapter Two Present

The Present

Princess Lucy of Heartfilia dashed through the hallways of warm, dark castle that had been her home for the past seven years. Her lungs ached and her muscles strained with every slap of bare foot on obsidian as she ran so quickly she almost lifted off the ground. Her long, sunflower hair streamed out behind her in a tangled wavy mess as she whipped her head around and stared behind her with wide, swirling coffee-brown eyes to see if her chaser was still in pursuit. She couldn't see him, and she let out an involuntary, triumphant giggle before clamping her hands firmly over her mouth. She had come too far for his damnable hearing to catch her now.

Swinging her head from left to right, she surveyed her options. She could walk along the walkway to the atrium, the stairs down into the ballroom, or right to the armory. Thinking that she heard a rustle not too far off, she turned and bolted into the armory, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Her eyes adjusted to the musty dark to observe racks of swords, bows, daggers, maces, and just about any other weapon you could imagine that suitors past and future could use against the Protector of Fairy Tail Keep if they could find it. She walked back to the corner, jamming herself gently into the space between a rack of broadswords and the wall of javelins. Her hips had started to widen out gently two or three years ago and now gave her the hourglass figure of a woman that also made it harder to fit into her old hiding spaces as easily as she used to.

She tried to slow her breathing down because she was panting pathetically and almost begging to be caught. As she did, she could make out a triangle of light on the ceiling that grew with a small creak of the wooden door as the armory opened. Her heart started fluttering even faster, and she wished that she could stop it. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, clenching her whole body as though it would make her tinier or invisible.

Natsu often thought these days that maybe they were too old for some of these games, but it was rare for Luce to be in a playful mood anymore. She had gone from his tomboy-ish playmate to a real princess over the short years, and now it was responsible and "Madame Aquarius said this" and "A princess mustn't do that." Any opportunity he got to see his old Lucy back, he'd seldom waste, slipping into a devilish little boy in a heartbeat.

He didn't know why she thought that she could win this game. She never had. Though her scent laced the whole castle in its floral delicateness, he could still follow the freshest trail with his eyes closed. He could hear the slap of her feet in the halls, the small squeaking laugh that she let out, and the open and close of the armory door.

He walked down the halls calmly after her. There was no need to rush this part. Much like he would a child, he gave her time to hide because it made the game that much more fun. These days, Natsu felt as though he had grown into the castle. He was now at nearly six feet tall, with a lean but finely muscled frame that reflected the years of intense training that he hadn't failed to neglect since Igneel had left. His pink hair stuck up in all directions, only managing to stay trimmed so often by the volunteered efforts of Cancer, the princess' scissors/stylist who couldn't bear to look at Natsu's hair falling to shambles. As he often did, he wore only his white scarf from Igneel, a vest, and loose pants to allow for him to transform at a moment's notice.

He paused in front of the armory door, inhaling deeply. Lucy smelled like lily-of-the-valley from the perfume that her feather duster/maid Virgo kept stocking in her room seemingly from thin air. As it always did, it swirled around his nostrils and up into his sinuses, leaving him dizzy and dazed for a moment. That scent was a comfort and constant reminder that the princess was still here, and he had not failed her.

He pushed the door open with a small creak, and his sensitive ears perked as he heard the steady beat of her heart go double time, beating against her ribs like it was trying to escape. He smiled almost ferally, letting his dragon instinct guide him as his pupils narrowed to slits to allow his dragon vision to take over and give him perfect sight in the dimly lit room. He meandered over to the corner where she was hidden with his hands in his pockets, his footfalls completely silent.

She was balled up in a space to small for her, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Two roses of color spotted her cheeks from the exercise, and her body trembled slightly from residual adrenaline coursing in her veins. He leaned over silently until his lips were almost level with her ear.

"I think that's one-thousand three hundred and twelve for me, Princess," he purred.

Her eyes flew open, and she instinctively (and not very royally) fell backward, raising her hands in defense. Her huge brown irises were almost swallowed up by her pupils as her eyes strained to see in the darkness. They were framed by lovely, long dark eyelashes that fluttered from his closeness.

He almost immediately fell back with a guffaw. "Aw, man, you should see the look on your face!" he cackled. "Classic!"

He heard her inhale deep as she stood to her full height, still a good six or seven inches shorter than him. "Well, you try doing any better when a dragon sneaks up on you in the dark! And anyway, we haven't even played hide-and-seek a thousand times so how could you win over that?" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

Out of habit, his hands rose in case she tried one of her signature Lucy kicks and he continued laughing. "Lighten up, your Highness. It's only a game. Just one you're not very good at."

"Tch," she growled, pouting. "We can't all be dragons. And what are you calling me anyway, Natsu? It's just Lucy, you know that."

"And I just want to keep my head… which won't happen if Master Makarov catches me calling you 'Luce' again."

"Well, it's just us in here," she said. He could swear the color was rising in her cheeks again, probably residual from the exercise.

"Fine. Then let's go get some breakfast… Luce," he said with his signature grin.

She smiled warmly at that, leading the way out of the armory. As she walked in front of him, he felt the smile slip off of his face as he remembered her wide eyes and how close he was to her face… it would have been so easy to steal a kiss from those perfect rosebud lips while her eyes were closed…

He could never do that though. Let alone the fact that he was her Protector and would never be a suitor for her hand. Let alone the fact that they came from different class stations. Lucy didn't see him that way. She never had, and she never would. If he did something like that, everything would change between them, and she might never forgive him for that. He needed his best friend more than he was willing to risk damaging their relationship. Besides, he didn't even know what he felt for Lucy.

Inwardly, he sighed. He didn't know when or why things with Lucy got so complicated; he only knew that it wasn't just duty which bound him to defeat the thirty-four suitors who had tried to fight him in his time guarding Lucy… it was also an unspoken wish deep inside of him to keep her here with him forever.

As they settled down at their places at the small table used for breakfast, Mirajane the pitcher poured out water for them to drink. "Did you sleep well, your Highness?" she asked sweetly, hovering over Lucy's glass.

"Yes, thank you," Lucy said, nodding politely. Normally, servants wouldn't speak to royalty at all out of turn, let alone with pleasantries. However, as much as Madame Aquarius and Master Capricorn tried to drill royal aloofness into her, Lucy had always had familiar and close relationships with those who served her and had sacrificed their lives with their family and their humanity to live as her enchanted servants.

She looked up at Natsu as Mirajane finished, but the dragon was deep in thought as he scowled outside of the window which showed two stories below the glowing, scorching lava moat which was still impressive even during the day. She took the time to admire that even as he scowled, his face as still so handsome. It was as though it had been drawn with strong sharp lines to give him a powerful jaw and square face that made him look downright terrifying when his pink eyebrows met in the middle to glare at you. But as soon as he smiled, all of that melted away into a face as sweet as a puppy's that could cause the most stone-hearted person to smile back. His obsidian irises were small and pointed as he looked off, as though he wasn't lost in some daydream but focused intensely on a line of thought.

Mavis only knew he wasn't the sharpest knife in the kitchen, but he had emotional intelligence to spare. When it came to her, fighting for her and defending her against suitors, he got this serious and intense. Then was when he felt more mature than her and so far away that she couldn't reach him. Unfortunately, it had been happening more and more.

Lucy looked down sadly at her oatmeal, turning it over with her spoon. She wasn't really interested in eating. Then again, she hadn't had much of an appetite the past few months since she discovered that she was in love with her Protector. To be fair, you wouldn't be hungry either if you had feelings for the one person in the world you could never be with - who would be undoubtedly injured or maybe even killed by the one you had to marry.

Lucy was in love with Natsu. That much she knew for sure. The rest of it only served to cause her heart pain as she considered a future she could never have.


	3. Chapter Three Seven Years Ago

_Seven Years Ago_

 _The blond haired girl woke up when the sun peeked through the window and straight onto her sleeping face. Her eyes cracked open through the sticky dust surrounding her eyes. Usually her eyes were only this crusty when she cried, but she didn't remember doing so. As her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, she realized with a start that she was not in her room at the Palace any longer._

 _Her room's walls were dark, slick obsidian, but the rest had been done up to look as much like her room as possible - in a girly pink color with a fluffy bed and beautiful antique furniture. On the far wall, there was a writing desk that seemed to beckon her, but she kept surveying the room. When she saw a boy in the corner sitting on a low chair, sprawled out snoring with his head hanging back towards the ceiling, she let out a small yelp of surprise._

 _The boy remained unresponsive, still snoring loudly. Lucy stood up, curious, and walked over to the boy. He had pink hair, the likes of which she had never seen before. She was tempted to reach out and touch it, but she remembered that was rude. Because his mouth was hanging open, she could see his sharp teeth, and her breath caught in her throat. Humans didn't have those kinds of teeth… what was he?_

 _Now a little bit frightened, Lucy opened the door to his left and took off running down the hallway in her white nightgown._

 _Natsu heard the opening of the door and felt the faint wind on his face followed by the swift little pitter-patter of feet running away from him, and his eyes opened immediately, looking over at the bed. Not finding the princess there, he scrambled to his feet. He ran over to the still open door and followed the sound of footsteps until they tapered off and he could hear only strange, soft hiccupy sounds._

 _Slowing his pace down as he walked the obsidian halls, he ended up outside of the armory door, which was slightly ajar. He pushed it open softly and followed the strange sound to the back corner of the room, between a rack of swords and javelins. There she sat on the floor, her tiny fists covering her eyes as wetness escaped from them and stained her cheeks with streaks._

" _Ehhh?" Natsu said, frightening the little thing into looking up with a hiccupy squeak and jam herself further in the corner. "Why are you crying?"_

 _To this, she simply sniffled even louder, closing her eyes and burying her face in her drawn up knees. "I want my mommy!" she yelled, as muffled as it was coming through her knees._

 _Natsu's heart sank a little. Of course her first request of him was one that he couldn't fulfill. "Um… well, your Highness, the Queen isn't here. It's just me!"_

" _Who are you?" she questioned, her tears quelling as she looked up at him suspiciously, her hands still drawn around her knees._

" _I'm your dragon!" he announced proudly, sweeping into a bow. "Natsu Dragneel of Heartfilia, son of Igneel, Protector of Fairy Tail Keep."_

 _Her frown deepened. "You don't look like a dragon."_

 _He stood, spluttering. "What's that supposed to mean? Of course I'm a dragon! Here, I'll show you!"_

 _Natsu closed his eyes in determination, feeling his face elongate into a snout and his fingers extend to claws as he chest widened and his spine lengthened, shooting out of his back to form wings and a massive tail. When he opened his eyes, he was a seven foot tall, crimson red dragon. He swiveled his dark eyes towards her, only just then realizing that if she was scared before, a dragon appearing in the room may not help._

 _He was surprised to see that she stood, wiping away the last of her tears and stepping forward to look him up and down. He felt suddenly shy at her appraisal. After a minute, she finally said, "You're awfully small for a dragon."_

 _His eyes narrowed as his gaze went level with the little girl's. "Hey! That's not fair; I'm not even fully grown yet!"_

" _Yes, but how will you protect me when you're this puny size?" she asked, walking around him._

 _He resisted the urge to twist in order to face her so he didn't sweep his tail out and injure her. "I can protect you at any size!" he boasted proudly. "I am a dragon, and that's what we do!"_

 _She came back around to his front without speaking and poked him lightly on the scaly stomach repeatedly. He tried to resist, but after a moment… "Bahahahahahaha!" he exclaimed. "Stop that! It tickles!"_

 _Seeing his response, she grinned determinedly, redoubling her efforts to tickle the dragon's stomach, much to Natsu's dismay as he began backing up, swaying his tail from side to side as he tried to twist out of her reach. As he did, he knocked over whole racks of swords and bows that fell to the ground with might crashes. Lucy giggled._

" _NAAAAAAAAAAAAATSUUUUUUUUUU!" a voice growled from deep within the pile of fallen swords._

 _Natsu froze immediately, catching the princess' small hands delicately with his claws. The princess stopped giggle as he did so and watched in amazement as a sword more ornate and beautiful than the rest rose from the pile with a red aura surrounding it._

" _Ah… hi, Erza?" Natsu said weakly._

 _The sword turned its deadly sharp edge on the red dragon, gleaming wickedly. "Natsu Dragneel, how many times must I tell you not to transform in the armory?!"_

" _Just the once?" he said uncertainly, shimmering back into a boy. He still held Lucy's hands, gulping as the sword twisted in the air. "Er, Princess, I think it's time for us to run!"_

 _With that, he yanked her away and towards the door as the large sword pursued him with unreal speed all the way to the door of the armory where the two kids spilled out gasping for breath as Erza the sword slammed the door behind them. Lucy turned to Natsu with a broad smile._

" _You're silly!" she announced._

 _He smiled back. "Yeah, well you're nosy!"_

 _She giggled then stopped, looking at him curiously. "Are you really going to protect me forever and ever?"_

 _Technically, it would only be until a suitor claimed her properly, but she was a little girl. She didn't need to know that. Besides, just looking at her, something welled up inside of him. It was probably just dragon instinct because she was like a treasure he had been given, and everyone knew how possessive dragons were about their treasure. Still, he found himself saying, "I will always be here to protect you, Princess. No matter what."_

 _Her face scrunched up a little. "You shouldn't call me Princess or your Highness. It makes me feel really lonely. Call me Lucy!"_

 _He opened his eyes wider in surprise. "I can't do that! Nobody can call you Lucy but the king! It wouldn't be right!"_

" _Okay, so call me something else instead," she suggested._

" _Like what?"_

" _Like… like…" her face brightened suddenly. "You can call me Luce!"_

 _The rest of the day, her dragon followed her. She explored the library and the ballroom, the grand study and the guest bedrooms. She didn't ask what they were for since they wouldn't be hosting guests, but she figured that they were just a part of making it feel more like her home._

 _Whenever she felt terribly lonely, she just looked over her shoulder and there he would be. While she was taking in these things for the first time, she knew because he told her that he had been here for a couple of weeks to adjust to his new role and prepare for the day that King Jude came to leave her here. He was always looking intently at her when she looked back, a dutiful dragon ready to complete his mission of protecting her. She liked that, and she liked him._

 _Kids her age would typically look at her as the princess, someone untouchable and out of reach for them. He looked at her like they were already friends. It left a warm feeling in her heart._

 _He still wouldn't tell her about her mother or father, and she figured that was because he didn't know anything about them. It made her sad, but if she was going to be here, she was going to try to be strong for them. She reached up and clasped the golden key necklace she wore, still wondering why she had it. It was her mother's, and she didn't remember it being given to her. It was still nice to have a piece of home though._

 _She turned back to Natsu as they made it back to the ballroom after her inspection. "Hey, Natsu?"_

" _Yeah?"_

" _This place is called Fairy Tail Keep, right?"_

" _That's right."_

" _Why?"_

" _Huh?" he asked, a look of confusion crumpling his features._

" _Why do they call it Fairy Tail Keep? Do fairies even have tails?"_

 _His face looked contemplative for a moment. "I don't know," he finally answered. "But it sure would be a fun adventure finding out."_

 _At the word adventure, Lucy felt her face lighting up. "An adventure! Can we go find out some day, you and me?"_

 _The only way she would leave this castle would be with someone else, not him. The thought made him remarkably sad because she looked so excited about the prospect of going on an adventure with him. He thought it would be exciting, too. If his job was to protect her, then right now it had to mean from her future because it would only make her said. So instead, he nodded. "Of course we can, Luce. I promise."_


	4. Chapter Four Present

**Present**

He would never admit it, but Natsu liked her the best like this. Her long blond hair was half up, half down, the half that was up bound in a small ponytail on the side of her head. She wore a blue skirt and simple tank top with leather boots. Aquarius always made her wear these dresses that reminded him just who she was, but many days she got to dress herself and this is what she went with.

He never wanted to teach her how to fight. It didn't make sense to him. It was only when she appealed to his kind of reason that he allowed for her to start fighting. Though she appreciated the use of a strange, magical whip that Virgo had somehow managed to procure (he didn't want to ask), Natsu made her fight using all of the other weapons, too, to give her plenty of training.

Besides the whip, she appreciated use Erza. Erza was at one time the infamous captain of the Palace Guard, and she had been the first one to volunteer to be enchanted as a servant of Fairy Tail Keep. However, when she learned that the princess was beginning to train, she insisted on making sure Natsu didn't train as poorly as he had. Tch. That Erza could be so scary! And mean! One of Erza's special abilities was to morph into swords of different length, weight, ability, and type. So Lucy got plenty of practice on many different swords based off of Erza's whim of changing. Lucy twirled Erza now in her grasp as she looked at Natsu.

He felt scales dusting over his face as he began his transformation. "Are you ready for me, Luce?" he asked, smiling as his canines lengthened.

He heard her heartbeat kick up a notch as adrenaline set in. "Always."

Natsu's smile widened as his chest broadened out and his wings burst from his back. His scarlet-ruby-crimson prismatic scales burst out of his skin all over as his whole skeleton changed to accommodate his large dragon form. Now full grown, Natsu was an intimidating fifteen-feet tall and even longer. His broad tail emerged, and the transformation was complete so he immediately swept his tail around with surprising speed, hoping to sweep her off her feet.

Naturally, she leapt up, avoiding it as casually as if it were a skipping rope. Her eyes gleamed with determination as she made her move, running towards him with the Erza held back, drawing her at the last moment to make a slashing cut at his right shoulder. Sparks flew across as the blade attempted to break the impenetrable red scales; the resultant shriek of metal on scale would make anyone wince, but the princess and her dragon were accustomed to it.

Lucy drew back with a triumphant smile. "That's one for me!"

He roared in response, totally unharmed by the hit. They never set out to injure, which is why Lucy never went after the softer scales of his stomach (not that he'd ever let his guard down enough to let a combatant get close), and he was always gentle with her, using taps and gentle nips to indicate that she had been hit. He used an incredible amount of control with her. It helped that his instinct was not to harm her as she was the object of his protection.

He bounded up to her retreated form, and she raised Erza in defense, quickly running to meet him. As she leapt up to try a similar attack on the side of his neck, he caught her by Erza in his claws, leaving her gasping as he raised her to the level of his eyes. The princess still grasped the sword with both hands, shaking in frustration to try and loosen his hold. He grinned, chuffing lightly.

"Yeah, yeah, that's one of you, Flame Brain. Now would you put me down?"

Shaking his head, he brought her close to the ground and dropped her when she was six feet off the ground. She rolled into the landing on the floor, already looking roughed up when she stood again, raising Erza with a determined grin.

"Alright, time to break the tie!"

* * *

Lucy sat in her room after the morning exercise, bathing in the spicy oils that Virgo retrieved from Mavis knows where. As she did, her wash basin, Juvia chatted excitedly with her. "And then, and then, Master Natsu brought Gray into the room, and Juvia got to stare at him for a full five seconds!"

The wash basin was working herself into such a frenzy that she began steaming up, fogging the windows as she did and making Lucy unsure of what to do. She was referring to the magic mirror, Gray, formerly one of King Jude's favorite messengers whose power was now to show Lucy or Natsu anywhere in the kingdom and inform them of important events. When she had been human, Juvia, one of the Palace laundresses, had been positively obsessed with him.

Because Lucy had been young, she had very little understanding of why the woman was so enraptured by the messenger, but now she was older. She thought about things like love and the patience Juvia had waiting for months to see Gray only to have him back for a day then shipped off on another mission for her father. Thinking about being gone from Natsu for that long made Lucy sad.

She sighed loudly, and Juvia stopped mid-sentence, her glassy surface icing over immediately. "Juvia is sorry that she has _bored_ your Highness."

Lucy sat up, waving her hands apologetically. "No, no, no! Not at all, Juvia! I was just thinking about… well, love."

Juvia iced over further, growing so frigid that Lucy started shivering from where she sat a couple of feet away. "Your Highness is also in love with Gray?"

"No!" she said, mildly terrified, waving her hands even more frantically. "Never, are you kidding me? Why would I be in love with a mirror?"

She heated up so suddenly that the ice inside of her went instantly to steam, slightly scalding Lucy's skin as she was hit by the wall of heat. "Why not?" she demanded. "He is the most perfect mirror in all of Fairy Tail Keep."

"He's the only mirror in Fairy Tail Keep," she muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing?" Lucy said quickly, standing and grabbing her towel. "I mean… how could I possibly pursue Gray when I know he already has such a smart and beautiful… er, washbasin?"

Juvia immediately settled to a regular pool of water, and Lucy let out a sigh of relief as her servant launched into another story about a passing moment with her love. As she did, Lucy left her bathing chamber and walked into her bedroom, sighing again much more sadly as she sat on the edge of her bed, absentmindedly drying her hair.

In the middle of their training session, Gray had informed Natsu that another suitor was approaching the castle. He would reach them by late afternoon. Natsu had immediately become his serious Protector self, sending Lucy to her chambers where her boudoir, Lisanna, and her special scissors, Cancer, both advised that she freshen up and make herself suitable to her station.

Lucy didn't like this idea as it reminded her of the fact that she needed to be presentable in case the stranger won. The stranger winning meant… Lucy's hand flew up to the key around her neck, squeezing it tightly enough to leave an angry red mark on her palm. He would be fine. They would be fine. Natsu always won.

Now all she had to was find a dress that would make that idiot's jaw hit the floor when he saw her in it. She giggled, feeling evil as she ran over to wardrobe. As she did, her helpful feather duster, Virgo, appeared. "Is there anything I can get for you, Princess?"

"As a matter of fact there is," she said thoughtfully. "What would you wear to catch a man's eye?"

* * *

An hour later, Natsu paced in the ballroom by the entrance to the castle. In his hand was Gray, showing him the an image of the blond haired stranger who was riding towards Fairy Tail Keep at breakneck speed on a black horse. At his shoulder was Happy, who was usually much like his name and energetic, but today seemed more somber.

"... so now all a suitor needs to do is to defeat you to become king," Gray finished his report.

Natsu's scowl deepened even further. King Jude, having reclaimed much of Heartfilia, was now dead. Lucy was the rightful queen. Still, she was sealed here by her father's final orders until the right suitor came. Sometimes the king made him so angry! Lucy could be a queen all on her own; she didn't anyone to be a great ruler! Now though, it only became more imperative that he protected her. Whatever fool she ended up with would be king. She deserved only the best.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of her footfalls on the steps down to the ballroom. He heard Master Makarov, the grand table scoot along the floor to meet her. "Your Highness! You should be resting upstairs."

"Thank you, Master, but I'll be quite fine here until I absolutely must go," Lucy said firmly.

He heard her footsteps drawing closer to him so he shook Gray, causing the image of the suitor to disappear. He turned to meet her, putting on a fake smile that immediately fell away slack as he looked at her. She was in a crimson floor length dress with a full skirt that billowed out around her hips. Her white bare shoulders showed as the bell sleeves fell away to rest off her shoulders. Around her neck was her golden key, and her hair was bound up with a ribbon as red as her dress. She looked stunning.

He almost immediately looked away, feeling stung. She wasn't this dressed up for him. He had to remember that. She looked that way so this… this… person would be as stunned as he was when he first laid eyes on her.

Natsu immediately clenched his fists. He'd never lay eyes on her. He'd pommel this guy just like he pommeled all the rest. Natsu turned away from her again. "You shouldn't be down here," he said gruffly.

He heard her footsteps halt a few steps from him. "And who are you to be telling me what to do? You may be the Protector of Fairy Tail Keep, but I'm still its mistress."

"Natsu, the suitor is coming over the hill," Happy reported, returning from a scouting mission his master hadn't asked him to take.

"It's time for you to go, Princess," Natsu said firmly, looking at her.

When he looked into her eyes finally, her expression changed from its fierce playfulness to concern seeing him. He hated that. She raised a hand to put on his cheek, and he didn't stop her. "Natsu… be careful."

He gave her the grin he knew that she liked best that showed off his teeth and reached up to his eyes. "Don't worry, Luce. You asked me once if I'd protect you forever, and I haven't forgotten my promise."

Her eyes widened in recognition like she couldn't believe he remembered that conversation so long ago. Her eyes softened as the small beginnings of tears welled up in her eyes. "You'll always be here to protect me," she said softly. Suddenly, she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Go show that idiot what my dragon is made of."

He was too shocked to respond for a second as she pulled away, feeling a burning spot in the shape of her lips on his cheek. He shook his head, recovering enough to smile at her again. "You bet, Princess."


	5. Chapter Five Five Years Ago

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update! Finals are turning out to be a real monster. But break is just around the corner, and hopefully more chapters with it. That being said, here's a longer one! Thanks so much for all the support and follows! As stressful as this week is, it's nice to know that my destressing project can make someone else smile. :)

* * *

 _Five Years Ago_

" _Natsuuuuuuuu," Lucy drew out his name in an attempt to soften his resolve._

 _The fourteen-year-old Protector crossed his arms firmly. They'd both been growing in the past two years, but Natsu especially had hit a growth spurt in the last couple of months, gaining four inches on Lucy and the ability to stare down at her sternly though she used her wide, doe-like eyes on him._

" _No," he growled. "Why would you even need to learn to fight?_ I'm _here to protect you," he said, pointing towards himself. "Just go do… princess stuff."_

 _Her bottom lip wobbled. "But all I do with Madame Aquarius is etiquette and dancing and needlepoint, and it's so boring! And I always prick my finger!" she added, holding up a pointer finger for proof. "Please, Natsu! Fighting can be princess stuff, too!"_

" _No, fighting is dragon stuff, Luce," he said, turning away to indicate that was the final word on the matter._

 _Her eyes welled up with tears that pricked his nose immediately so he swiveled around, running back to her. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Stop crying!"_

 _She only started sobbing louder, letting full, fat tears roll down her cheeks faster than the frantic dragon could wipe them away. "But… I just… wanna… be your training… partner… to help you… beat up the… bad guys!"_

 _He softened at this. At eleven-years-old, she may have been old enough to hear what hear intention here was, but he still didn't have the heart to tell her. As far as she knew, the men that were coming were bad guys here to hurt her that he had to protect her from. On the list of other things he hadn't told her? The fallen kingdom and her mother's death. He kept Gray closely guarded in case she ever got curious._

 _Still, it wasn't that she had lost faith in him protecting her. She just wanted to help him. He knew it hadn't been easy for the princess adapting to her new life and guardian. He did all that he could, but he wasn't her mother or father. He'd never had to take care of anyone, let alone a little girl. And while Madame Aquarius covered most of the important stuff, she was still sealed away in a baton. When Lucy needed human touch or human comfort, the closest she was going to get was him._

 _Natsu sighed. "I_ could _use a training buddy. Alright, Luce, you've got yourself a deal. Starting after lunch, I'll turn you into a real fighter!"_

" _Yes!" she cheered, her tears immediately ceasing as her face turned to a looking of gloating glee._

 _He looked after her in shock as she ran away giggle. "Hey - ! Did you just - ?_ Did you just play me, you little brat?"

" _Now, now, Natsu," Mirajane giggled, coming up to hover by his ear. "You can't speak to a princess that way."_

" _A princess, huh?" he asked, steam almost coming off of him as he shook his fist after the little girl bounding up the stairs. "More like a menace! I can't believe she tricked me!"_

 _Mirajane laughed again. "It's only because her Highness knows you so well that she's able to do that, you know."_

" _Mmm," he grumbled, crossing his arms._

" _Oh, you two make the cutest little couple!" the pitcher said sweetly._

" _WHAT?" Natsu said, turning to Mirajane._

 _She giggled gleefully._

" _Jeez, don't say stuff like that, Mira," Natsu grumbled, scratching the back of his head. "I'm her Protector, and she's my princess."_

" _If you say so," she hummed._

* * *

" _Hey, Natsu," Lucy said a few days later. Though she had only been just picking up a sword and learning how to hold it and the basic movements of it, she was persistent in wanting to study. She wanted to learn to use all manner of weapons and really fight against him. Her tenacity was impressing him._

" _Yeah, Luce?" he replied, popping open an eye._

 _She put her book down. They were sitting in the library in front of a fireplace. Winter was fast approaching Heartfilia, and even in a castle surrounded by lava, it could get drafty. As always, while she laid on the floor, absorbing page after page, he sat in a leather chair and took a cat nap. The girl tore through books like he and his growing body tore through food so it was a pretty normal activity for them. The dragon was always ready at a moment's notice to rise for Lucy though, explaining his quick response._

" _I think because you're teaching me something, I should teach you something," she said, twisting around to look at him._

" _Oh, yeah? Like what?" he asked, ready to humor the princess._ Anything but needlepoint _, he thought._

" _Dancing!" she said, pointing to a diagram in the book she was reading where a couple was pictured. The man had his hand on the woman's waist, and she had a hand on his shoulder. Their other hands clasped tightly to each other as their feet were paused in an elegant stance that indicated the man was about to dip his partner._

" _Dancing?" Natsu echoed her, blinking._

" _Won't it be fun?" Lucy asked eagerly, her coffee brown eyes shining._

 _He squidged his eyes up a little. "Aren't you too young to be dancing?"_

 _Her eyebrows creased together as the familiar Lucy fire came into her eyes. "No," she said vehemently. "Madame Aquarius has been teaching me, but it's different without a partner. Besides, I'm very grown up for my age," she mumbled, two spots of color coming to her cheeks as she glanced at him._

 _He cocked his head, smiling at her wide enough to show his sharp little canine teeth. He reached out to tousle her blond hair. "Alright, Luce. We'll have it your way. When do lessons start?"_

 _She positively beamed at him._

* * *

 _Lucy wiped her sweaty palms on the sides of her pink dress. Madame Aquarius said dancing in pants made Mavis cry and kittens die so Lucy always slipped one of the uncomfortable things on when she had dance lesson. Now was different though._

 _True to his word, Natsu met her in the ballroom later that evening, and seeing the pink-haired young man made her heart crawl up in her throat. She didn't know quite what that meant, but it had been happening every time she saw him the past couple of months._

 _The dragon looked apprehensive as he approached where Lucy stood beside the lute and piano off to the side of the ballroom. As he did, the lute, Gajeel, stood as much as a lute can._

" _Back for another world of hurt, Flame Brain?" he instrument demanded._

 _Natsu held up his hands. "Look, I told you before, that was an accident!"_

" _What was an accident?" Lucy asked._

" _I accidentally picked up his girlfriend," the dragon mumbled._

" _You went on a date with his girlfriend?" Lucy asked, her brow furrowing as her heart gave a painful little tug of jealousy._

" _No, I mean…" he sighed. "I_ literally _picked up his girlfriend. Levy? The book in the library?"_

 _Lucy's jealousy turned into amusement as she giggled. "You picked up Levy? I bet that gave her a scare!"_

" _I didn't know," Natsu grumbled in his defense, crossing his arms. "It had dragons on the cover, so I thought-"_

" _You thought nothin', punk!" the lute exclaimed angrily. "It's only because I respect the princess so much that I don't hit you again!"_

" _Again?" Lucy mused, turning to her dragon. "Did you get beat up by a stringed instrument?"_

" _Obviously not," he muttered darkly, glaring at her. "Otherwise you'd be engaged to that stringed instrument."_

" _Nonsense!" Gajeel agreed. "I gave him a hit to the back of the head, and now we're square. He ain't going to be settin' foot in the library for a long time."_

 _Natsu's fist balled up, and he raised it, looking ready to blow. Lucy raised her hands quickly though and caught his wrists. She gave him her sweetest smile. "C'mon, Natsu, let's dance!" she urged him._

 _His anger fizzled out, and he allowed Lucy to lead him to the floor. Once there, she nervously placed his hand on her hip, taking his other hand with her own. Finally, she put a hand on his shoulder. It was warm and broad beneath her hand, finely muscled from years of training. Blushing, Lucy glanced back at the piano and lute. "Lyra, Gajeel, if you would."_

" _My lady's wish is my command," Lyra responded sweetly._

" _Just follow my lead, sweet cheeks," Gajeel said, playing a low chord._

" _Whatever you say, Maestro," Lyra giggled._

 _Lucy held her breath as they played a beautiful introduction, setting a slow but graceful tempo that Lucy began to pull Natsu gently around the floor to. Then, Gajeel began to sing._

" _Sparklin'... colorful… shoobi-do-bah," the lute crooned._

 _At Natsu's pained look, Lucy smiled. "Better not let him catch you doing that," she whispered. "He's very proud of his songs. He writes them himself. It's all he does besides talking to Levy."_

" _Yeesh, you'd think he'd be better at it then," Natsu complained._

 _She giggled, earning her favorite grin from her dragon. "So, do you hate me?"_

 _The smile was wiped off his face, replaced with one of concern and confusion. "Why in Mavis' name would I?"_

 _She looked down, feeling her cheeks warm. "I… well, I sort of made you dance."_

" _Are you kidding me?" he said, causing her to look at him. He had a warm smile on his face. "It's an honor to dance with you, Princess."_

 _Lucy's breath caught in her throat, leaving her at a loss for words. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Was… was this love? She had only known what her parents could show her or what the scullery maids at the Palace would brag about in their May Day frolics. But this… this felt like she was weak in the knees and only his hand on her waist was keeping her suspended. At the same time, she felt as though without him there to hold her to the ground, she would float all the way to the ceiling. Everything about him seemed so very dear, all of a sudden, even the more annoying habits he had._

 _As the song progressed, Natsu's body began to understand the dance even if his mind couldn't wrap around it all the way. He began taking the lead from Lucy, swirling her around the floor with enough energy to cause her full skirt to billow out. She got lost in the way he would smile as he spun her out and then reel her back into his strong arms._

 _Oh, by Mavis, she was sure of it. Even if this wasn't love… this was something different than she had ever felt for him before. And she liked it very much._

 _The song drew to a close, and as the last few notes slowed down, Natsu brought her to a slow dip, suspending her from falling to the ground just by the one strong arm that had been at her waist. The sound petered out, and still they stayed frozen just like that, looking at one another, slightly out of breath._

 _Finally, Natsu brought her back up to her feet, his cheeks a little pink. "Whoa, Luce. You're good at this dancing thing. You'll be a regular queen someday with a bunch of different partners."_

 _Her heart plummeted. Oh. Of course. Someday, she would have to leave Fairy Tail Keep. With a start, she realized what he was just implying was his own defeat. Then and only then would she leave… on the arm of some other man._

 _She withdrew from him. "I… um, I'm going to go," she said hastily, grabbing her skirt and turning quickly so he didn't see the tears pricking her eyes._

 _She couldn't trick his nose though. "Luce? Are you crying?"_

" _I'm fine, Natsu," she said, quickening her pace as he followed her. "It's, uh, woman stuff," she lied quickly._

 _That stopped him dead in his tracks. "Okay," he said uncertainly. "Are you sure you're-"_

" _I'm fine, Natsu," she said as cheerily as she could muster. "I just need to lie down for a bit, that's all."_

 _With that, she took off at a most unladylike run up the stairs and out of sight. A silly part of her wondered if he watched her go._


	6. Chapter Six Present

A/N: Hey everyone, I wish I had a better excuse for why this update has taken so long, but it's just writer's block (and everyone's been there.) Anyway, I'm back and hopeful that it won't take nearly as long to update next time. You're the best for sticking with it though so thank you! :)

* * *

Present

Natsu watched from the courtyard as the blonde as he appeared over the ridgeline, pausing in front of the lava moat and dismounting his red horse. Though the stone bridge would respond to Natsu's and Igneel's commands, it would heed no other's. The man would have to figure out a way across on his own merits.

He considered the moat for a second, then removed a crossbow from his saddlebag. Tying a rope to the end of a bolt, he loaded it, looking patiently down the shaft before firing. Natsu now stood at the entrance of the castle, just inside the gates so when the bolt hit the stone of the wall no more than ten feet from where he stood, he heard the resounding thwack. Natsu did not flinch.

The man turned to his horse, and Natsu's sensitive ears tuned in. "Stay steady, Lector, my friend," the man said, tying the rope to his steed's saddle. Pressing his hand on it to make sure it was taut, the man placed the crossbow over the rope then dove. In what would've been a heart-wrenching moment for people unused to such danger, he plummeted only to be caught by the rope and go sliding down towards the castle. His horse whinnied at the extra pressure but held fast.

It didn't take more than thirty seconds for the man to reach the other side, and he leapt down as soon as he was over the other side, keeping the crossbow and slinging it over his back. He had seen Natsu from the other side and now walked up to him.

"So you're the famous dragon," he said, his icy, dark eyes appraising. "You're smaller than I thought you'd be."

Natsu's scowl deepened. "You haven't seen anything yet.

The man's grin grew. "They did say this would be a challenge. I'm Sir Sting Eucliffe."

"You're a part of the Sabertooth Regiment," Natsu said.

The man looked surprised for a moment. "I didn't know you had the resources to stay updated on the world."

"I have eyes all over this kingdom," Natsu returned with a growl. "Enough to know of Sabertooth's reputation. You're King Jude's select fighting force, and you fought by his side since the entirety of the war. But the King is dead, and with him, all of your authority. However, now you seek to expand Heartfilia further."

"Now I've come to collect my reward," Sting corrected him with another lazy grin. "The people will only follow Sabertooth's authority for so long. By marrying the rightful queen, my ambition for Heartfilia will become a reality."

"To get to the princess, you have to go through me first."

"I don't suppose you'd be kind enough to let me in?" he asked, shaking lightly on the gates of the castle.

Natsu smirked. "As with the moat, it's another test in your bravery and cunning. I'm afraid to get the honor of fighting me, you'll have to first figure out a way around it." With that, he turned around to walk back in the castle. "I'll see you soon, _Sir_ Sting… _if_ you can get in that is." Natsu's keen ears heard the sound of him quickly drawing his crossbow and stopped. "Do you mean to shoot me in the back?"

"Perhaps. And why not? In your human form, you are much easier to fight and kill."

Natsu looked over his shoulder with a glare. "You're talking like your old commander, you know. I thought the whole reason you took over the Regiment was to clean it up and make it more reputable. I thought that you believed in honor, _Captain Sting._ "

The man looked surprised again. He really thought the dragon was in the dark. He knew from Gray's reports all about Sting's take over of Sabertooth, even as young as he was, as corruption levels reached an all time high. Secretly, he had to admit that he admired the young captain for his work - and he was far more honorable than some of the men that came to compete for the Princess' hand - but that was going to make him hold back.

Sting lowered his crossbow. "So then… I'll see you inside."

"I'll looked forward to it," Natsu promised.

* * *

"Princess, you shouldn't worry so much," Levy advised her as she paced in front of the library windows. The library was the only room that had interior facing windows into the courtyard where Natsu liked to take the suitors to battle. That's where Lucy always watched though if Natsu ever caught her she'd be in serious trouble.

Natsu entered the courtyard, deadly focus etched into his face. His face was already calculating what was about to happen. As carefree and happy as the idiot could be, in this few moments, his training with Igneel and his own belief in his purpose in Fairy Tail Keep surfaced. These were the only times that Lucy really remembered why they were there.

Lucy stared out at him as a blonde man entered the courtyard. She couldn't hear anything, but she saw their mouths moving shortly before Natsu transformed. They squared up, ready to fight.

Clasping her hands and bringing them to her mouth, she whispered, "Mavis, please please please protect him from harm."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were rooting for Natsu."

"I always am," she told the book as Levy came up to hover by her face.

"Don't you want to leave this castle?"

"One day," she admitted as the man dove for her dragon. "But not if it means leaving him."

"Oh, Princess," Levy hummed. "We all have to leave each other someday."

"Not he and I," Lucy responded stubbornly, pursing her lips. "From the day we were brought together, we were meant to stay together. It's written in the stars."

"Princess?"

"Check the _History of Constellations_ ," Lucy said, unable to tear her eyes from the fight below here. "Chapter four. Long ago, the ancient inhabitants of Heartfilia named two constellations right next to the East Star: the Princess and the Dragon. So we're bound together. We always have been."

"If your Highness says so," Levy hummed, flying back to her table in an unconcerned fashion.

The princess continued her silent vigil and sent prayers up to Mavis once more. _Please keep him safe… I love him._

* * *

 _He's tougher than he looks,_ Natsu thought wearily, having already sustained three wounds, one minor one on his face and two more severe ones on his forelimbs that were oozing red blood.

Sting only looked a little better than he did with a large claw mark across his chest having shredded his mail and left him bleeding slightly. The man was panting as another small stream of blood from a cut on his hairline dripped down the side of his face. Still, he held out his crossbow, circling the dragon warily.

"You're tougher than you look, dragon," he said, mirroring Natsu's thoughts. "But I'll best you. The princess will be mine, and as king of Heartfilia, I will bring the kingdom to a new age of peace and prosperity."

Natsu growled. All of that sounded fine - except the part where he claimed Lucy. Lucy was Natsu's. He'd been protecting her for seven years, and he'd be damned if some guy who'd never met her tried to take her away.

With new energy, he pounced on the man, managing to knock his blasted crossbow from his grasp. As Sting dove for his weapon, Natsu swatted him out of the air, leaving the knight gasping for air as he slid across the floor.

Natsu growled in triumph, crossing the floor as he prepared finish Sting off - or at least ensure that he never tried to come back to Fairy Tail Keep ever again. Formidable opponent though he was, Natsu had never been bested. That wasn't about to start now.

Natsu stood over him, peering down with his large, reptilian eyes at the still figure below him. Sting's chest was still rising and falling shallowly, a sure sign that while he was down, he was only subdued. The blond man was bleeding pretty significantly, but then, so was he. Natsu was weary; he began to turn away.

Suddenly, Sting reached up and slashed at his soft underside with a dagger the dragon had not seen on him. Natsu roared as white-hot pain bloomed from his stomach, causing his control over the transformation to slip. He fell back into human form, gasping and clutching his midsection as Sting rose to his feet.

"Do you give up?" the suitor panted, raising his bloodied knife.

"Never," Natsu grunted, grabbing his own dagger from his belt. He'd have to remember to thank Erza later. She was the one who suggested he carry a weapon in case he had to fight in human form. "I will never give up when her life is at stake."

"Her life?" Sting laughed raggedly, advancing on him. "I'm not planning on killing her, you know. I'm just marrying her.

Natsu growled. "You see though, that's the problem. Dragons, we're possessive, and you're trying to take my princess."

"You said yourself that I was honorable. I want to help this kingdom. Who better to marry the princess and watch over her?"

Natsu met his side swipe with a block, their blades making a harsh shriek. "No one," he answered, black spots starting to dance in his vision as he struggled to keep one hand on his stomach wound.

"No one? You would have the ruler of Heartfilia never marry and never leave?"

"I would protect her," Natsu corrected him with a snarl. "No man is worthy of her. No one may have her. That is why I fight as I do."

Sting looked at him sharply. "Mavis above… how didn't a see it? You're in love with her. You're in love with the princess!"

"Don't be ridiculous," he asked, swinging wide and failing to catch Sting's knife-wielding arm. "I'm her Protector."

"Which makes you the only man in the kingdom who can never have her," the suitor said with a shake of his head. "But that frustration…" he grunted, swinging with renewed vigor at the dragon. "Shouldn't keep a good man from marrying her! I want to help the kingdom, and Princess Lucy is the way to do that! You think you're helping her, but you're only hurting the kingdom in the process, you stubborn dragon!"

The best that he can remember, Natsu's vision went red at that point. His strength was rapidly leaving in the form of the hot, red blood oozing from between his fingers, but hearing Sting talk about marrying her for the kingdom and not for love… talking about her like she wasn't even a person with feelings, hopes, and wishes, only just a means of achieving the kingdom, made him angrier than he could ever remember being in his life.

He charged forward with a roar, his blade flashing against Sting's, overwhelming the suitor and knocking him to his back, the blade flying out of his hand. Natsu pressed his knife up against the man's neck so hard that it began to bleed. And he really thought about killing him… but the kingdom needed men like Sting. It really did.

Lucy didn't.

"You're bested," Natsu growled.

Sting nodded numbly. "I can honor that."

The dragon released the blade, staggering to his feet and dropping it. The room was starting to sway, but he saw Lucy running down the stairs still in that gorgeous red dress from before. Then the world turned upside-down and he was on his back, breathing shallowly as the world got dim.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried out, collapsing on the floor and gathering his head in her lap to brush back his hair.

His eyes swiveled up lazily to meet hers. "Luuuuuuuce," he said, his eyesight swimming.

"Don't talk," she said, sniffling. "Levy's getting Wendy right now. You're going to be _fine_."

"I like you… in red," he said.

She let out a startled little laugh. "You aren't making any sense, Flame Brain."

"So pretty…" he trailed off, closing his eyes.

"Stay awake," she said, shaking him gently.

He felt a drop of moisture on his cheek, and he smelled her tears, making his eyes open. "Don't cry."

"Then stay awake for me, please," she begged him, stroking his pink hair.

"I won… for you," he said. "I beat… Sting."

She nodded, her tears freely flowing now. "Thank you so much, my dragon."

"I won't… ever lose. So then… you never have to leave."

"Then I'll stay here forever," she promised, looking around, no doubt wondering where Wendy was.

"Good," he said, feeling the world slipping away from him. "That's good. Stay with me… because I love you, Luce."

Everything went black.


	7. Chapter Seven Four Years Ago

_Four Years Ago_

" _Natsu! Natsu! Someone's coming!" Happy announced, flying down from the rafters towards the fifteen-year-old dragon and the twelve-year-old princess._

" _Eh?" the pink-haired Protector asked, pausing in the act of shoveling breakfast into his mouth._

" _Someone's coming!"_

 _Lucy blinked. "What, like a bad guy?"_

" _No, like a suitor!"_

" _A suitor?"_

" _Happy!" Natsu chastised the ball of light having finally swallowed. He glanced at Lucy, who was glaring back at him._

" _What does he mean 'a suitor'?" Lucy demanded, crossing her arms._

" _Can we talk about this later?" he asked, hastily wiping his mouth with a napkin and dropping it on the table as he stood, his jaw set._

" _Natsu!" she complained, stomping after him._

" _Lucy," he shot back in his serious voice, making her stop. His eyes shifted over to his companion. "Take her upstairs and out-of-sight, Happy," he ordered. "I'm not taking any chances with her safety."_

" _Yes, sir," the ball of light said, pulsating as he went behind Lucy, pushing her gently towards the staircase._

" _Wait, Natsu!"_

 _He stopped, turning back to her. "Yeah?"_

 _She bit her lip, worry turning her stomach over. "We're talking about this later," she said firmly._

 _He spared her a toothy grin. "Whatever you say, Princess."_

* * *

 _Lucy wasn't brave enough to watch his first fight. She was confident she could slip Happy's notice if she really tried, but the idea that someone was here for her… she shivered. Natsu and the servants had been telling her for years that someday men would come to take her away, but Natsu had only ever called them bad guys._

" _Happy?" Lucy said, from where she was hidden under her bed._

 _The bobbing blue light appeared next to her. "Aye?"_

" _What you called that man before… a… a suitor? What does that mean?"_

 _The light hesitated. "Maybe we should wait for Natsu-"_

" _Just tell me!" she ordered, clutching her skirts tightly._

" _A suitor is a person who is competing for a lady's hand in marriage," the light told her. "And suitors have been fighting for your hand for a long time. This is just the first time one has gotten this far."_

" _Does this have something to do with why my mother and father left me here?" she asked, feeling the familiar pang in her heart as she thought about her parents._

" _... a little," the light said warily._

" _Happy-" Lucy sighed, but she let out a gasp and silenced herself as she heard footsteps approaching._

 _The little light bobbed closer to her, entangling in her hair so that no light would emit from under the bed. Lucy scarcely breathed in the musty air under the bed, tucking her legs even closer to her body as her wooden door creaked open and the heavy footfalls of a man entered the room. Her whole body trembled as the boots got closer and closer to her bed. She felt tears well in her eyes as she scooted her body back. Then-_

" _Oy, Luce, what are you doing all the way under there?"_

* * *

 _Lucy flew out from under the bed and into Natsu's arms, clutching him tightly, still trembling as a few tears fell from her eyes._

" _H-hey," Natsu protested, hugging her back tightly. "Why are you crying?"_

" _I didn't think it was you!" she explained, trying to wipe away the tears. "I was just… I was scared," she mumbled miserably._

 _Natsu pulled back, looking at her seriously. "There's a reason I'm the one protecting you. I don't lose, Luce. Not now or ever. You have to believe that."_

 _She sniffed, nodding. "But Happy said… with the suitors…"_

" _Eh?" he said, guiding her to her bed to sit down and sitting down next to her._

" _Is that why my parents left me here?" she asked quietly._

 _He sighed. "Princess-"_

" _You promised we'd talk," she said, some of the fire returning to her eyes as she faced him._

 _He looked down, nodding. "I did. Your parents… they knew Heartfilia's rebellion was bad. It was getting to the point where even the Palace and the Royal City weren't secure. That put you in danger._

" _You know that my father is Igneel, right?" he asked. She nodded. "He was the one who engineered all of this. He had been training me for my entire life, even since somebody performed the spell that made me… this," he said, waving up and down his body. "A dragon, and left me on his doorstep. He knew I was made for this kind of thing._

" _So he built Fairy Tail Keep with his magic. He contracted servants from the Palace - ordinary people who were fiercely loyal to your mother and father - to become the enchanted objects which serve us here. They would never need to eat or sleep so they could always help us and help me stay alert. I was the final piece. He needed someone that he knew would absolutely die to save your life._

" _Dragons are naturally protective, especially over things in their care. I was the best chance. So I was sent here to stay on alert. The plan was only to go in place if your life was directly threatened," he said, taking a deep breath. Now he had to tell her something he had intended on keeping secret for as long as he could. But it was time. "I was here for a month with no word… then the kingdom fell."_

 _He waited in silence before her brown eyes, uncomprehending raised to his. "Heartfilia… fell?"_

 _He nodded. "To the rebels. The Royal City was invaded. The Queen… er, well, the whole Palace worked to get you out. It was my father who rode you to the battlefield where your father the king fought. Together, the two of them set out here and left you in my charge."_

" _Natsu… I don't understand," she said, shaking her head. "I was left in your charge so people didn't try to take my life as my father's heir?"_

 _He nodded. "You are precious to the kingdom's future. Even now, your father fights to reclaim Heartfilia for you. As long as you are here, and you are safe, your father still had strong claim to the throne and the kingdom's support behind him. Nobody wants to risk that."_

" _Then why the suitors?" she asked, her lower lip sticking out petulantly._

" _Oh," he said, scratching the back of his head. "That has to do with your father's orders. He had always intended on marrying you to a powerful ally. That hasn't changed. The man that can defeat me will earn the right to your hand. But first he will have to find the castle and then pass through a series of tests to even get within our gates. Hardly any will ever reach me. When they do though… we fight."_

" _So… one of them is trying to… to k-kill you?" she asked, her lower lip wobbling dangerously again._

" _Yes," he said seriously. "They will have to. Because as long as my heart beats, I will fight for your life. I won't give you up so easily, Princess."_

 _Her eyes started welling up again. "But… b-but… you can't just die for me."_

 _He considered her with a sad smile, reaching up to place a hand gently on her cheek. "Princess, I would gladly die for you. Let any man come who dares. He may stab me, slash me, break me, or step on me… but it will only be if he is truly worthy that he will ever defeat me. I've never met such a man, Princess," he said softly._

" _Promise?"_

 _Something about her brown eyes in that moment made his breath catch in his throat. His heart throbbed, suddenly lurching to a much faster pace that it had be as his grip on her face slightly tightened._

 _He suddenly had the strongest urge to kiss her._

 _Instead, he swallowed hard. "Promise."_


	8. Chapter Eight Present

A/N: Hey, everybody! Hope the weekend is treating you well... I had mad inspiration tonight so here's a second short chapter to push the story along, and eek! We're almost to the end! :'( But no worries! Things are going to go fast from here (provided I get my butt in gear and update...) Okay, addressing a couple of reviews 1) I don't think you guys know just how much you brighten my day with your positive feedback. It is literally giving me the strength and encouragement I need to keep writing right now. 2) I always totally welcome translations of my stories, and I think it's really cool and awesome that there are people out there that can do that! Just be sure to put my name on it, too, okay? 3) In response to Spiritual-Sister - I can totally dig your message. One of my absolute favorite passages is 1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." And I try to always put those three elements in my writing. This is a place of faith, hope, and love for my characters, and - I hope - for my readers as well. Now then, you came to read a story, didn't you?

* * *

Present

Balling up her fist, Lucy drove it into the wooden nightstand next to her, making a loud smack that resonated through the quiet room.

"Princess!" Wendy cried out, the blanket fluttering from where it was resting over a unconscious and bandaged Natsu in her bed.

"It's not fair!" Lucy cried out, her breathing going ragged as she stared at his bruised face. "Why should he be the one to fight for my future? That should be in my hands!"

Lucy angrily wiped away tears from her eyes once more. Across the hall, Mirajane was tending to Sting, who was also in rough shape. Lucy hated him for what he did to Natsu, but Gray informed her that he was honorable and would accept his defeat. So Lucy allowed him to stay and be healed until the time came when he could leave. Sting would heal. So would Natsu, Wendy had said. Still. He looked so fragile.

"Princess Lucy, we all took this role willingly," Wendy consoled her, glowing gently. "Especially Natsu. He was excited for the chance to prove himself."

Lucy sniffed. "Stupid dragon," she muttered.

The blanket was quiet for a moment. "He cares so much about you," she said finally. "Anyone can see it. I think even if it wasn't his duty… he would do this for you, Princess."

"That's just what I'm afraid of," she whispered, suddenly blushing as she remembered his words. He had said that he loved her. What was that supposed to mean? Was he confused from the blood loss? Did he mean that he loved her like a sibling? Or did he… could he possibly mean that he _loved_ her loved her?

She loved him. By Mavis, she couldn't deny it anymore. Picturing a life without him was a bleak practice. Picturing every marrying the man who killed him… she shuddered so violently that she was afraid she would cry again. But… no. This wasn't sadness. It wasn't fear.

It was anger. It was _fury._

How could her father do this to her? Doom her to be stuck here with the dragon that she loved watching man after man face him and almost kill him for the chance to take her away? She was caught in a hopeless situation.

"Luce?" a voice breathed.

Her head snapped up at the sound of Natsu's voice, her eyes brimming now with tears of joy as she saw his tired onyx eyes meet hers. "Natsu."

"Stop crying, you dork," he breathed.

"Stop almost dying then," she laughed as a couple of tears escaped.

He reached up, wiping them away gently with his thumb. "Don't tell me you gave up on me that easy?"

She shook her head vehemently. "Never."

"Sting?"

"Recovering," she said. "He'll need a few days even with Wendy's help. You did a number on him."

"Yeah, well he started it," Natsu grunted, trying to sit up.

"Stay down," she ordered him. "You need rest."

"No, Luce," he said, grabbing her wrist seriously. "I have to tell you something."

Her heart sped up as she wondered what he would say. Something about his last words before he passed out?

"It's your father," he said, his onyx eyes pained. "Lucy… he died in combat a few days ago. That's why Sting is here. Whoever takes your hand will be the new king of Heartfilia."

Her heart sank. A part of her knew that she should be sadder at her father's passing, and she was sad. With him gone, she was an orphan. She had no one in the world… except Natsu. And it was her father's orders who kept her from him.

"Natsu," she said slowly. "Do you remember what you told me before you passed out?"

His whole face flushed red, and he knew the answer. "Luce…"

"I love you, too," she said quickly, looking down. Her eyes flicked up to his immediately, trying to read something there. Instead, all she saw was shock.

Her body moved almost without her permission, and suddenly her torso was pressed against his, and her hand was locked behind his head, pressing their lips together. His were slightly chapped, but they were warm, and they waited only a second into her kiss before dominating her own. Suddenly, his hands here on either side of her face, crushing their lips together as her face turned, her whole body melting into a puddle as his warmth radiated through her body, leaving her gasping for breath when he finally released her, his eyes dazed. She noticed that his breathing was also labored.

"Luce…" he repeated, trying to get his breathing under control. "You shouldn't have done that," he said finally.

She sat back, her mouth dropping open. "What?"

His face flushed red, and his jaw clenched. "Because I can't have you. It doesn't matter if I love you or not. Your father's orders were clear. Your life belongs to whoever can defeat me. The dragon never gets the princess in the end. He's only a beast that stands in the way."

The silent room was filled with the sudden sound of a slap as her hand connected with his cheek. He looked up at her in shock as she turned away from him.

"Don't you _dare_ say that in front of me ever again. It's everyone else who stands in the way," she said, running from the room.

* * *

"You're an idiot," Gray informed Natsu.

"Hey!" the dragon complained. "I can shatter you!"

"Go for it, Flame Brain," the mirror snorted. "Then who's going to tell you that three suitors are approaching now?"

"Three?" he repeated, feeling his heart sink in his chest.

Though the fight was yesterday and Wendy had been healing him to the best of her ability, he still felt like his body was made of lead. Lucy hasn't stopped by his room since yesterday. He could still feel her kiss on his lips.

It had awakened something in him dangerous. Before, to protect Lucy was for her father and for her kingdom and for her. But now, to protect Lucy would be to protect himself and his own selfish need to have her by his side. Because kissing her made him realize something he had long denied to himself: they belonged together. They always had.

"Look," Gray sighed. "I'm not your biggest fan," he admitted. "I always had a soft spot for the princess. She was like my little sister… but she clearly loves you. And you love her. Everyone in this castle can see it except the batty old Master. So why did you deny her?"

Natsu clenched his jaw. "It's not that simple. When Igneel placed me here, he knew that I would take my job to completion. But the king needed a more complete guarantee. So Igneel cast a spell on this place."

"What sort of spell, Natsu?" Lisanna, the vanity asked.

Natsu sighed, now realizing that all of the enchanted objects in Lucy's room were listening. "I had to uphold my end of the bargain and fight until a man strong enough came along to defeat me. If I gave up or ran away or decided not to fight… all of your lives would be sacrificed."

There was silence in the room for a long moment.

"You mean," the mirror said finally. "If you don't do your job… we all die?"

Natsu nodded grimly. "If, however, I do go through with it, and Lucy get's a betrothed… you will all be released from the spell into human form. That's always been the deal."

"You mean…" Virgo fairly whispered. "We'll be human again?"

"Yeah," Natsu said. "I… I shouldn't have fallen in love with her. That complicates things. Because now… we may all be here forever. But Lucy and I can never be together if it comes at the cost of your lives. It's an impossible situation."

Thunder boomed outside and it began pouring down rain as dead silence took over the sick room once more, each of the players contemplating the severity and hopelessness of the situation that had been placed in.

* * *

"So then it's possible?" she asked Levy.

The book swayed uneasily in the air. "Technically? I suppose. But, Princess-"

"Thank you!" Lucy said, bounding from the library before the book could say anything else.

It had been two days since she kissed Natsu. Two days since he'd almost died. Two days since she'd become Queen of Heartfilia. And in that time, Lucy had read. She hadn't slept or ate or rested, simply read everything she could about the order her father gave and the spell Igneel cast to ensure it came true.

She found a solution. She found the loophole that would save them all. At least… she hoped that she did.

She burst into her room where Natsu was standing, walking across the room gingerly. When he saw her, his eyes went wide, and he lurched towards her. "Luce-"

"Stop right there," she said, holding up her hand. "Natsu Dragneel, I challenge you to combat for the hand of Lucy of Heartfilia."


	9. Chapter Nine Two Years Ago

_Two Years Ago_

" _Loke!" Natsu snapped at the lion decoration at the base of the stairs. "Where is Lucy?"_

 _His large golden eyes swiveled to him. "What's it to you?"_

 _The dragon growled deep in his chest, his brow furrowing. "I haven't seen her all afternoon. I'm worried. I think it's allowed."_

" _Tch," the lion scoffed. "Bring it on, Dragneel. If I wasn't part of this staircase, I'd totally challenge you for the princess' hand!"_

" _But you are," he deadpanned. "So - where is Lucy?"_

" _In the library," he muttered back._

 _The lion snapped at Natsu's leg as he passed, but the dragon easily avoided the swipe, bounding up the stairs. He made a right turn, bursting through the wooden doors to see Lucy standing there, caught in afternoon rays of sun that illuminated the dust particles and caught in her yellow hair, spinning it into gold. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat as she turned to face him._

 _He immediately lurched forward as he saw tears in her eyes as her small white hand clenched a hand mirror so tight that they turned alabaster with spots of red on her knuckles. "Luce-?"_

" _Don't you_ dare _Luce me," she said holding up a hand to stop him. Her brow was furrowed and red veins cut through the whites of her eyes. She was trembling, and her cheeks were a fevered scarlet._

 _His eyes slid back to the mirror in his hand, and his heart fell as he recognized the intricate, entwining snowflake design on the back of the mirror. It was Gray, the farseeing mirror, who could show you any truth happening currently in the kingdom. He could only guess what she had asked him. Natsu swallowed. "Princess-" he tried again._

" _How long have you known that my mother is dead?"_

" _What?"_

" _You heard me," she said, crossing her arms as fresh tears welled in her eyes. Her gaze darted all over his face as though she could discern the answer there. She didn't seem to like what she had found because her hand rose to her mouth in disbelief. "Oh Mavis. Say it isn't true."_

" _Luce, I wanted to tell you."_

" _You've known this_ entire time _?!" she cried. Her chest started heaving as streams of tears cascaded down her face._

" _It wasn't that simple," he begged, stepping forward and trying to take her hands._

 _She yanked away from him, her lip curled up in a sneer. "Yes, it was! All it took was sitting down and telling me… that she… oh, Mavis," she repeated again, curling her arms to hug around her abdomen._

" _Please," he said, holding his arms open and hoping she would walk into them. "I thought it was for the best. I was going to tell you."_

" _When?"_

" _When you were sixteen."_

 _She brought her arms down, her hands balled up in fists as she glared at him. "I_ hate _you, Natsu Dragneel," she said emphatically, running from the room._

 _He stood there, unable to move for a moment. At seventeen, he was certainly fast enough to chase her down and strong enough to hold her in place long enough to listen, but her words held him in place. They had lived together now for five years, and in that time, she had never told him that she hated him._

 _So it never occurred to him._

 _He'd always thought that she liked him - maybe even adored him - as an older brother type. That's why he'd had to swallow his own feelings in the last year about her. But the idea that Lucy could hate him - that he had irreparably damaged their relationship - made him feel like the biggest idiot in the world. His heart was aching painfully with every beat, his mouth was dry, and every swallow felt like he was trying to swallow a grapefruit whole._

* * *

" _Go away, Natsu," Lucy grumbled, her face buried in her pillow._

" _It's me," Mira's sweet voice filled the room. "Princess, you have to eat. It's been three days."_

" _I don't want to!" the princess shot back as the pitcher landed on the nightstand next to her. "I've just been here like an idiot for five years while everyone around me knew exactly what was going on. And nobody said anything. Especially… especially not…"_

" _Natsu?"_

" _How could he?" she sniffled, fresh tears staining her red cheeks. "I thought he cared about me."_

" _We all care about you," the pitcher said soothingly, pouring a goblet of water for her to drink out of. "Especially Natsu. Why do you think he did what he did?"_

" _To control me."_

" _You couldn't be farther from the truth."_

" _Well then he's just unfeeling!" she shouted._

" _Princess!" Mira said sharply, silencing Lucy. "You can't speak on matters that you yourself do not know."_

 _Her tears slowed down a little bit. "What do you mean?"_

 _If pitchers could look sad, Mira achieved it. "Have you never wondered about Natsu's family?"_

" _I… he has Igneel, his father."_

" _His adoptive father," Mira corrected her. "Oh, princess, there's so much that you still don't know."_

 _Lucy was quiet for a moment. "Mira… earlier, you said I couldn't be farther from the truth about why he didn't tell me about my mother. So why did he do it?"_

" _Oh, I thought that was obvious," the pitcher fairly whispered. "He loves you. Nobody ever wants to see somebody that they love hurt that much."_

* * *

 _Natsu hadn't left his room since Lucy yelled at him because it was the one place in Fairy Tail Keep that she didn't venture to often. He sat on the edge of his bed. If she was that angry at him, he would keep out of her way. She wouldn't have to see him or hear him. He would just fight and fight and keep fighting for her silently._

 _How did Lucy feel about being here? She was the only one who had no choice in the matter. Even Natsu was asked if he'd like to guard Lucy. But Jude had decided to seal her away, and Igneel chose where she went. The servants volunteered for their place here._

 _How was Lucy supposed to feel? She just had to live with this bothersome beast who could only ever hurt her by keeping things from her. He kept her from a normal childhood. He even took away her choice about falling in love. She would marry whoever bested him and none other. How was that to make him feel?_

 _He loved her. Mavis, he loved her so much it made his teeth ache. So there! He was disappointment: to the king, to Igneel, and especially to Lucy. He had fallen in love with the one person that he couldn't have, and he couldn't sleep at night because of it._

 _But he never knew how she felt… not until that moment when she looked into his eyes and told him that she hated him. Of course she hated him. Who could love someone who had subjected them to such a fate? She wanted nothing to do with him._

" _Natsu?" a voice asked quietly._

 _His head jerked up and he stood quickly, swiveling towards the doorway where Lucy stood tentatively, in the same rumpled dress she wore three days ago with messed up hair and tearstained eyes. A knot worked its way into his throat._

" _C-can I come in?" she asked._

 _He nodded, hardly even daring to breathe and risk her changing her mind and going away. Instead, she walked right up to him, her lips pursing and relaxing slightly as though she was at a loss for words._

" _What happened to your family?" she finally asked._

 _Something in him deflated as memories of smoke stinging his eyes, his mother screaming his name, and choking on his own sobs came filtering into his mind, making him wince. "Sit," he said finally. She did, sitting right on the bed. He sat next to her._

" _I was born in the northern province of Heartfilia back when bandits were still an issue," he said. "My father was a farmer, and my mother stayed at home with my older brother and I. We were poor, but things were happy. I don't remember much from those times - only that we loved each other a lot. Our village mostly just got by._

" _One day after harvest, the bandits came and demanded everything we had. If we gave it to them, we would starve. So my father and the others fought back against them with just farm tools. My mother and brother and I hid. We prayed. The bandits were well-trained and ruthless. They killed my father and the others, stole the harvest, and set fire to the village to serve as an example. Our house went up faster than lightning._

" _My mother carried me and my brother out of the house and told us to stay there. She was trying to get something from inside. But Zeref got scared, and he ran away. The fire covered the door and windows though. I could… I could hear-" he broke here as tears pricked his eyes, and he felt her soft hands covering his own where they sat limply in his lap. "I could hear them screaming. All of villagers, but especially my mother. I couldn't do anything. The soldiers arrived too late to do anything. Among them was Igneel. The other's thought I should be put out of my misery because I wouldn't survive my injuries. But instead of fighting the fire that was injuring me, he made it a part of me by performing the spell that turned me into a dragon._

" _He is why I am who I am today. He raised me from there to be a fighter. Then one day, he told me I had an important mission: you," he said, raising his eyes to look at her face carefully where isolated tears were falling from her eyes as she listened to him. "I had to protect you from all harm. Lucy… I'm so sorry. I didn't know how to tell you. I just didn't… I didn't want to hurt you."_

 _He looked down again, but she reached up and took his hand, bringing his head down so that their foreheads rested together. "You silly dragon," she breathed, closing her eyes. "You are never the one to hurt me. I'm so sorry about your family. I'm so sorry I never asked."_

 _Natsu reached up and gently held her arms. "It isn't your fault."_

" _I don't want you to hurt either though," she replied softly._

 _He didn't know what to say to that so he just sat there silently until finally she shifted away, rubbing another tear from her eye. "Can I stay here tonight?" she asked. "I don't want to be alone."_

" _Of course you can."_

* * *

 _Hours later, after dark, Mira came looking for the two of them, hoping that they'd made up. She found them curled up together, arms around each other, finally asleep._

" _Hmm…" she hummed. "Those two are made for each other."_


	10. Chapter Ten Present

Present

"Lucy, stop this madness this instant," Natsu insisted as she faced him with only a chest plate and her whip. She had had on a helmet that was almost comically large before she took it off, opting to face him with the protection.

"Silence," she said in a steely voice, staring him down from twenty paces away. "The rules of your father's spell and my father's orders are clearly outlined. _Anyone_ who bests you in battle earns the right to the hand of Lucy of Heartfilia. I may fight for myself for the right to decide who I may marry."

"I can't hurt you!" he growled. "In these fights, I gravely injure men - even kill them!"

"Well then," she said, glaring at him and tensing up, ready for battle. "I suppose you'll just have to beat me without laying a finger on me. But then, didn't my father decide that you were the best?"

He transformed into a huge scaly beast still glaring at her. "Stop this nonsense. Three suitors are on their way. Three! We don't have time to fool around like this!"

"I am dead serious!" she grunted, running at him and managing to wrap the whip around his front foot, yanking hard and causing him to stagger. "I'm giving you the chance to fight for yourself. I could've easily slit your throat in your sleep!"

He roared at that. "You would never!" he shouted, swiping at her shield side. It scraped off the metal with a hideous shriek.

"Who says I wouldn't?!" she cried back at him, pulling her whip from his grasp. "I'm sick of you controlling my destiny! That is in my hands!"

"I thought you loved me," he said, a hint of hurt in his voice as he walked around her. She swiveled to keep track of his movements.

"Of course I do," she grunted, wrapping the whip around his tail and pulling hard enough for him to roar as he yanked her off her feet and sent her sailing.

She hit the wall with a small yelp and crumpled to the ground. Immediately, he transformed back, rushing to her side as she pushed herself up. "Luce!" he said, collapsing beside her and reaching his hands out.

She shoved him away, standing and breathing hard, determination in her brown eyes. "This isn't over," she said, dropping the whip and sending a fist sailing his way instead.

He swerved to dodge it, dancing back as she advanced. "Stop! STOP IT!" he begged her.

"Fight me!" she ordered him, throwing punch after punch which he simply deflected or dodged. He ignored the open spots she left, too afraid of hurting her. "I told you this wasn't over!"

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, putting up his forearms to absorb the barrage of hits she was dealing.

"I told you," she grunted, putting all of her strength into every swing. "I love you, and I'm tired of you having to make sacrifices for me!"

"I would die for you."

"That's kind of the problem!"

She sent him staggering back with an unexpected kick to the ribs that left him breathless and open. She pounced on him and the went rolling on the stone floor of the atrium like two wrestling bear cubs. Lucy landed on top, locking her knees around his arms so they were stuck at his sides and drawing his own dagger to hold to his throat. He stopped squirming, looking up onto her face with tears forming in his eyes.

"This isn't fair," he fairly whispered. "I can't fight you. You know that. Luce… you have to let me protect you. It can't end like this."

She had to control her own breathing, fighting tears as she looked at the hopelessness in his eyes. "You always want to find someone strong for me, but I already have someone strong," she said, holding the dagger just a little tighter to his throat as she leaned over him. "It's _my_ turn to protect you. It's my turn to look for someone strong… someone who's worthy to be by _your_ side."

"Luce-"

"Submit."

"I-"

"Submit or I will… I'll do it!" she threatened him. "I'll do it and then nobody will be here to help me when those suitors come. The first one to pick me up and carry me off will be my husband, and nobody will stop him, _dragon._ "

Natsu growled deep in the back of his throat, tensing. He searched her eyes for some sort of yield - some sort of end to this madness that seemed to consume her. There was none. His whole body relaxed in defeat. "I… I submit."

The whole castle seemed to sigh in response as Lucy was lifted to her feet and Natsu beside her. "N-Natsu?" she asked as a warm yellow light surrounded both of them. "What's happening?"

"I don't know," he said, scanning around.

Very suddenly, the yellow light dissipated, and Lucy felt something tenuous and magical break within in her. She doubled over with a gasp as the light faded, clutching her chest tightly.

"Luce!" she felt warm hands go around her. Somehow… it felt different. Everything felt different.

"We aren't bound together anymore," she said, standing in his arms, her brown eyes searching his onyx ones.

"The spell is… broken," he said, his eyes looking sad. "You're free."

"I'm free," she repeated.

He stepped away from her, forcing his eyes down and falling to his knees. "Long live Queen Lucy. Now you will go to reign your kingdom?"

"No."

"No?"

She drew him up, standing so close that their bodies nearly touched as she looked up at him. "The only reason for this… for all of this… was for you. I will not rule Heartfilia. I am free so now it is my time to decide what I do with my life. The only princess I wish to be is yours, my dragon."

"You're… you-"

"I love you," she said, standing on her tiptoes and pulling his face down to kiss him softly. "And we will be together always."

"Luce…" he sighed, putting his forehead against hers. He saw the steady red blush in her cheeks as she bit her lips and waited for a response. "You could have asked me on a date before you challenged me for your own hand in marriage."

She let out a small gasp of disbelief and and amusement, shaking her head.

"I love you," he continued, lowering his head again to kiss her, very slowly and deliberately. He savored the taste of her lips and only pulled away at length. "Will you marry me?"

It was her turn to smile coyly. "I don't know. Technically, I bested you in combat and won my own hand. I think you'll have to actually win against me for that right."

He growled, kissing her again. "You got lucky."

"Yes," she replied immediately, bringing up a hand to place on his cheek. He leaned into her touch. "I got so very lucky to have a dragon like you. But now I have to go see Sting."

He growled again, not releasing her. "Hey, I beat him! He can't have you!"

She batted his hands away, laughing. "Not about that! Someone does have to rule Heartfilia though… and I think he may be perfect for the job."

"I think you're right," Natsu responded. "But give it awhile. A few minutes won't matter."

"Why?" Lucy asked warily, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I have spent seven years loving you," he answered, drawing her tighter. "Believing that I could never have you and therefore never be happy. But now… because of how amazing you truly are - we can be together, truly, forever."

"Well," she said softly. "You did give me your word, dragon."

"Yes, princess. Yes, I did."

* * *

The breaking of the spell did much more than either the dragon or the princess could have possibly imagined. With their bond broken, the forbidding castle turned into a beautiful manor of light and life. The moat of lava disappeared, and in its place sprang forth a clear stream. The courtyard filled with a garden to rival any other in the kingdom, with all kinds of beautiful plants and flowers. Even the slick obsidian walls turned to a rosy quartz that now glistened in the sun with such warmth and invitation any visitor would know that he was welcome. But that wasn't all.

All of the enchanted servants were returned to their original form, albeit a little enhanced. Many retained parts of their abilities as objects. Juvia the water basin could now control water, and Mirajane could transform into much more than just kitchen odds and ends. Many returned to their lives from before, not having aged a day since they were first enchanted.

Captain Sting of the Sabertooth Regiment rode out two days later as the rightful King of Heartfilia. He has reigned for twenty years now and brought peace and prosperity to Heartfilia. He is beloved and fair, and he still sometimes sends messengers out to Fairy Tail Keep for advice. He refused to take back Lucy's title, insisting that she remain a princess of Heartfilia until the end of her days.

But you don't care about that. You want to know about Natsu and Lucy.

She wanted the adventure she never got contained in those four walls. She wanted to go places and see things, experience life in its fullest. She wanted to see if fairies really did have tails. She wanted to help those who needed it, learn from those who were wiser, and try to leave the world a better place. Natsu wanted nothing more than to remain by her side.

Those servants who decided to stay stayed on equal terms - no longer servants but comrades. Together, they formed a sort of band - a guild, if you will, that anyone could join with the right amount of heart, curiosity, and bravery. And people did. They came from all over Heartfilia to take jobs or request them, protecting the land that they all held dear.

And yes, after a year or so, Natsu did beat Lucy in battle. They married, and shortly thereafter… they had me, Nashi, daughter of Princess Lucy of Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel, child of Fairy Tail Keep. I was the one who collected all of these stories and memories and wrote them down. There needed to be a written record of what happened here - how a princess loved a dragon so much that she fought him for her own hand, and how that dragon loved her so much that he lost.

We're still looking for answers - about fairies, about bandits, about Zeref, and about the people who took down Heartfilia to begin with. Together with my parents and my friends, we're looking for answers every day.

For now, we're living the best that we can. Adventure finds us, whether we like it or not. We'll work it out though, because we know that we'll always have each other.

* * *

 **A/N: Ahhhhhh thank you so much for always being here and getting to this point! I know it took forever, and I'm sorry. I hope you liked it and have a great rest of your day! I may write a follow-up to this because I was kind of a jerk to just dangle Zeref out like that, huh? But if not, I still really hope that you enjoyed it and it made your day a little brighter! Okay, I'm gonna go cry and eat some ice cream now. Much love. 3**


End file.
